Social Skills by Sara Alva

[reviews_and_ramblings]

This is another of those college boys story where the author could have used the cuteness factor and instead she decided to give it a more intense layer.

Connor is a supershy, little nerdy boy who is literally thrown into college; from the overprotecting, and sometime overbearing environment of his house, where his mother was lord and master, Connor is suddenly free to manage his own life... If he is able to have a life at all. When he is picked to be the tutor of two jocks, for sure he wasn't expecting to find love.

Jared is a boy who has to live up to a dream and an example, that of his father who died just the year before, but not without providing for his family. His father like football, and so of course Jared is playing football, his father married and had three kids, and so of course Jared has a girlfriend and is seeing his future life as a family man. But falling in love for Connor was not in that picture.

I like the author didn't make it easy for these boys to be together and make the choice they did. Love is not the answer to all, and being out and proud is a nice concept, but then you have to compare it with the option to stay in the closet and not having any trouble at all.

I also like the author didn't make of these two boys two little men, these are 18 years old boys who sometime still need their momma; they can make stupid choice, but the good thing is that they are young enough to correct them.

Amazon Kindle: Social Skills
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Comments

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I was interested enough in this after your review to purchase and read it, just finished it today. I'd give it an easy 4 stars, maybe edging a bit higher than that. It actually is well edited and written, the angst of new college students is well explored, and the variety of secondary characters allows for both male and female friends - a real plus in m/m erotica since often the females are ignored or just in the shadowy background. It had a lot of realistic interactions, very similar to a normal 1st year college student's would be.

Two small nits - in student housing there are always waiting lists or people who don't get along with their roommates so Connor having a room to himself for the entire first year is unlikely. Also, he cracks out of his serious inability to interact with others quite quickly after meeting Jared, but usually that takes longer. Also, Jared being so blind about Rennie's issues - it's borderline that he would be quite that clueless.

But all in all, I recommend the book. It's a keeper.

- Erulisse (one L)

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I did wonder too on the. Likeness of connor not having a roommate ;-) but you are right, the full supporting characters were a major point in the story